Introduced in 2000, the XR 650R was not just an update to the XR 600—it was a totally new bike. An all-new 649 cc, liquid-cooled, SOHC engine was mated to an aluminum box frame. The large XR did carry substantial girth, however, at 280 pounds (127 kg) dry.[6]
The XR 650R is an incredible desert racer. It has won every professional desert race its entered. It remains one of the few stock dirt bikes that can touch 100 mph (160 km/h). The stock Australian geared bike can reach 180 km/h.